To be here is to be away from it all

Located in the rolling hills of Hampden, MA GreatHorse is a secluded haven offering majestic views of the entire Connecticut River Valley. As the seasons change, so too do the breathtaking vistas, the diversity of sports activities, and the locally inspired cuisine. We are relaxed refinement immersed in a quintessential dream landscape.

History

We love the game of golf but since we don’t love the attitude encountered at most clubs, we decided to build GreatHorse around the idea of like-minded members enjoying a lifestyle club without the stuffiness of traditional clubs. GreatHorse is a private club located in the small town of Hampden, Massachusetts where you and your family will feel completely at home in our opulent mountain retreat. Come relax with us, enjoy world-class golf, and take advantage of unparalleled clubhouse amenities such as the outdoor pool, private spa, fitness center, golf simulators, tennis and platform tennis courts, and the restaurant and bar. It’s different at GreatHorse.

The Story Behind the Name

As one of the most sought-after breeders in the nation, the Antonacci family has been synonymous with racing greatness and integrity for over 50 years. Their involvement as owners and breeders in five Hambletonian Champions with some of the greatest racehorses the sport has ever laid eyes upon, makes them well known on harness racing’s biggest stages. To reflect this proud history, they selected the name GreatHorse, which is English for “Gran Cavallo”, the title of Leonardo Da Vinci’s magnificent horse statue.

Our Family

Guy Antonacci

President

Looking after the interests of the membership and making sure they enjoy every minute at the club is what drives Guy in his role as president and owner of GreatHorse. His managemen…

Guy Antonacci

President

Looking after the interests of the membership and making sure they enjoy every minute at the club is what drives Guy in his role as president and owner of GreatHorse. His management style is to encourage every member of the staff to take responsibility for their everyday performance as if they were each the club president. It’s an approach that’s been key to the success of his family’s businesses since 1974.

I come from a big family. You learn to meet challenges by thinking outside of the box and always treating each other with respect.

Bryan Smithwick

General Manager

Born to deliver a gracious good time, Bryan began his career as a bartender at a private club in his native Georgia. He brings his southern charm to GreatHorse along with twenty ye…

Bryan Smithwick

General Manager

Born to deliver a gracious good time, Bryan began his career as a bartender at a private club in his native Georgia. He brings his southern charm to GreatHorse along with twenty years of food and beverage experience and his instinctive team management skills, honed at private clubs in New York and Connecticut.

I’m here to help GreatHorse shed many of the old guard’s stuffy rules, and to create an experience that guests will never forget!

Scott Little

Assistant GM

Mastering the complexities of the hospitality industry over the last 30 years, Scott is still excited by the prospect of making people feel special. A jack-of-all-trades, who enjoy…

Scott Little

Assistant GM

Mastering the complexities of the hospitality industry over the last 30 years, Scott is still excited by the prospect of making people feel special. A jack-of-all-trades, who enjoys a hands-on approach to a variety of management responsibilities, Scott’s personal leadership skills are legendary.

Discovering ways to enhance the club experience is my passion, but nothing means more to me than the personal relationships I have with members and staff.

Allison Kline

Membership Director

A sales and marketing specialist for over 10 years, Allison finds closing the deal on GreatHorse membership an easy and gratifying challenge. Among her strengths is a genuine desir…

Allison Kline

Membership Director

A sales and marketing specialist for over 10 years, Allison finds closing the deal on GreatHorse membership an easy and gratifying challenge. Among her strengths is a genuine desire to connect with potential members and match them with the options the club has to offer.

It makes me happy to see people I signed up enjoying the club, smiling and laughing with their families. It’s really what we’re all about.

Michelle Pastore

Retail Sales Manager

A long-term veteran in green grass retailing, Michelle has spent the majority of her professional tenure working with iconic private facilities in the Boston area. In additio…

Michelle Pastore

Retail Sales Manager

A long-term veteran in green grass retailing, Michelle has spent the majority of her professional tenure working with iconic private facilities in the Boston area. In addition to working on major events, she has sat on industry retailer boards and has been a part of the success behind multiple PGA national awards recipients. Her talents include golf operations, logo development and branding, shop design, purchasing, merchandising and corporate tournament application.

I am thrilled to be a part of what makes GreatHorse unique and to contribute to the foundation of a legacy.

Michela Paolucci

Executive Administrator

As liason between the GreatHorse team, its corporate headquarters, and the outside world, Michela is a communications professional on a mission. In addition to her natural ability …

Michela Paolucci

Executive Administrator

As liason between the GreatHorse team, its corporate headquarters, and the outside world, Michela is a communications professional on a mission. In addition to her natural ability to simplify complex scenarios and create systems to help the team, Michela is relentlessly driven, resourceful, and eminently uncompromising.

The more I accomplish, the more I want to do.

Eric Boisvert

Facilities Manager

As Facilities Manager at GreatHorse, Eric is dedicated to making sure that all buildings and equipment are in pristine condition, down to the most meticulous details. A National In…

Eric Boisvert

Facilities Manager

As Facilities Manager at GreatHorse, Eric is dedicated to making sure that all buildings and equipment are in pristine condition, down to the most meticulous details. A National Indoor Soccer Champion and all-star athlete at two universities, Eric continuously pushes himself and his team to deliver the best-of- all performance every day.

My passion is simply making a difference, whatever I do.

Ashley Ripolone

Bar Manager

It’s not only Ashley’s expertise with beer, spirits and wine that wins accolades from club members and beverage connoisseurs, it’s also her attention to the perso…

Ashley Ripolone

Bar Manager

It’s not only Ashley’s expertise with beer, spirits and wine that wins accolades from club members and beverage connoisseurs, it’s also her attention to the personal experience each member enjoys at the bar. She’s as passionate about staying on top of new beverage trends as she is accomplished at putting a new spin on a classic cocktail.

Billy Downes

Head Golf Professional

Tying for 6th place in the New England Classic on the PGA Tour, Billy then continued with four full seasons on The Nike Tour, finishing in 2nd place at his best. He has always had a love for golf and has been with GreatHorse since the very start, standing beside the Antonacci Family in the development stages of the new club. After 36 years in the sport, and his continued love for teaching and attention to customer service, Billy knows he is well equipped to elevate the golf experience for the membership here and plans to do every day.

I enjoy helping bring out the best golfer in every person, at every level.

Kyle Hess

PGA Professional

By the age of 14, Kyle was the top ranked player on his High School’s varsity men’s golf team. Over the next 20 years, he worked with and studied under four of the top …

Kyle Hess

PGA Professional

By the age of 14, Kyle was the top ranked player on his High School’s varsity men’s golf team. Over the next 20 years, he worked with and studied under four of the top fifty golf instructors in the world. Today, he brings his personal passion for instruction and his gift for diagnosing, interacting and improving each member’s game to GreatHorse.

Having taught over 10,000 lessons and clinics, I never get tired of hearing how someone had their best round, hit their farthest drive, had a their first hole in one, or won their first tournament. That’s my personal reward.

Chef Denis Griswold

Executive Chef

Creating an exquisite dish is only half the joy for Chef Denis. He takes equal pleasure in the dining room watching the guests enjoy the food he’s prepared. Several times dur…

Chef Denis Griswold

Executive Chef

Creating an exquisite dish is only half the joy for Chef Denis. He takes equal pleasure in the dining room watching the guests enjoy the food he’s prepared. Several times during the year, Chef offers classes to members to teach the techniques he’s learned over his 40-year culinary career.

I have more recipes in my head than I’ll have ever have time to cook, but every dish I do send out is the best I’ve ever made.

James Lentz

Clubhouse sous-chef

With degrees in Culinary Arts and Hotel and Restaurant Management, James comes to GreatHorse by way of restaurants in New York, New Jersey, and Boston. He takes pride in accommodat…

James Lentz

Clubhouse sous-chef

With degrees in Culinary Arts and Hotel and Restaurant Management, James comes to GreatHorse by way of restaurants in New York, New Jersey, and Boston. He takes pride in accommodating personal preferences and dietary considerations of club members and enjoys being part of the GreatHorse team.

I like the action of the clubhouse. It keeps me thinking on my feet and keeps my chef skills sharp - pun intended.

Kristen Secor

Events Coordinator

In addition to her creative mind and calm disposition, Kristen brings over 14 years of experience to the Event and Conference Planning industry. She strives to make sure everything…

Kristen Secor

Events Coordinator

In addition to her creative mind and calm disposition, Kristen brings over 14 years of experience to the Event and Conference Planning industry. She strives to make sure everything at a function turns out exactly right.

I would do anything to see that our members along with their family and friends are smiling and taking away a magical memory they’ll keep forever.

Caitlin Shore

Food and Beverage Manager

Creativity, joy, and drive are what inspire Caitlin in her position at GreatHorse. She lives to discover new ideas, food trends, and unique indulgences to bring back to the club.